Jimmy Carter hospitalized, resting comfortably

September 28, 2010 12:00:00 AM PDT

By Carlos Granda and Adrienne Alpert

CLEVELAND --

Former President Jimmy Carter was rushed to a local hospital on Tuesday after becoming ill on a commercial flight to Cleveland, Ohio. Carter's grandson, Georgia state Sen. Jason Carter, said the former president is resting comfortably at the hospital.

Carter was a passenger on a Delta flight when he became ill. Airport officials in Cleveland said EMS crews were called to an incoming delta flight at 11:30 a.m. for a passenger who felt sick. When they got there they found out the passenger was Carter.

Airport EMS crews did an initial check on scene to see if he was OK, and then he was transported to the hospital.

An ambulance with Secret Service crews arrived to the MetroHealth Medical Center, and people in the emergency room at the hospital say they were told "President Carter is coming."

Carter has been traveling to promote his new book, "White House Diary," which was released last week. The website for Joseph-Beth Booksellers in Cleveland says he was scheduled to appear at 1 p.m. Tuesday to sign and talk about the book.

The center says he is expected to resume his book tour this week.

The former president flew to North Korea last month to secure the release of a man that had been jailed for seven months for crossing into the communist country.